I Lost It at the Movies

I Lost It at the Movies is a collection of film reviews and essays by Pauline Kael, published in 1965 before her tenure at The New Yorker. The pieces come from her radio broadcasts at KPFA and various publications including Film Quarterly, Sight and Sound, and Partisan Review. In this debut book, Kael develops her critical voice by engaging directly with other prominent critics of the era, often challenging their views. Her reviews span from mainstream releases to art house films, delivering frank assessments of works like West Side Story and Seven Samurai. The book's organization into four sections presents Kael's evolving perspective on cinema during the 1950s and early 1960s. Her writing focuses on the visceral experience of moviegoing rather than pure academic analysis. This collection established Kael's reputation for passionate, subjective criticism that emphasized emotional response over theoretical frameworks. The book's suggestive title reflects her view of cinema as a sensual rather than purely intellectual experience.

Readers value Kael's conversational writing style and her passion for films, even when disagreeing with her views. Many note her wit and ability to capture the experience of watching movies in the 1950s-60s. Multiple reviews mention the book serves as a time capsule of that era's film criticism. Likes: - Sharp, distinctive voice - Deep analysis of film industry dynamics - Memorable takedowns of pretentious films - Historical perspective on mid-century cinema Dislikes: - Dismissive tone toward foreign/art films - Some reviews feel dated or irrelevant today - Can be overly harsh on directors/films she dislikes - Writing style strikes some as arrogant Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (500+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (50+ reviews) "Her enthusiasm jumps off the page" - Goodreads reviewer "Too much snark, not enough substance" - Amazon reviewer "Changed how I think about film criticism" - LibraryThing review

For Keeps: 30 Years at the Movies by Kael's peer and contemporary Roger Ebert presents film criticism that balances scholarly insight with accessibility for general audiences.

Picture by Lillian Ross chronicles the making of John Huston's The Red Badge of Courage, delivering behind-the-scenes insights into Hollywood's creative and business processes.

American Movie Critics: An Anthology From the Silents Until Now edited by Phillip Lopate collects seminal film criticism spanning multiple decades and perspectives in American cinema.

The Immediate Experience by Robert Warshow examines popular culture and cinema through a sociological lens while maintaining focus on the viewing experience.

The Devil Finds Work by James Baldwin merges personal memoir with film criticism to explore representations of race and identity in American cinema.

🎬 The book's title comes from Kael's experience watching the 1952 Charlie Chaplin film "Limelight," which she found so disappointing it made her feel she'd "lost it" - her love of movies - right there in the theater. 📝 Before becoming a film critic, Kael managed a small art-house theater in Berkeley and wrote program notes for films, which helped develop her distinctive voice and deep understanding of cinema. 🏆 Following this book's publication in 1965, Kael was hired by The New Yorker magazine, where she became one of the most influential film critics in America for the next 23 years. 🎯 The collection includes her famous takedown of "West Side Story," where she controversially called it "frenzied hokum" - a review that established her reputation for fearless, against-the-grain criticism. 📚 The book's success helped legitimize film criticism as a serious form of cultural commentary, moving it beyond simple plot summaries and star ratings to deeper analysis of movies' artistic and social significance.